“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is one of the greatest accomplishments.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Authenticity. What exactly does it mean to be authentic in your everyday life? What does it mean to be authentic in business practices? 

Running an authentic and mindful business can be challenging. At TORRAIN, we go the extra mile to make sure our materials are recycled. Our liner is made from plastic bottles. Our business cards are printed on recycled paper. We enjoy biking to work when our busy day allows it. We like to eat local meat and veggies. We recycle and compost in our own homes as well as at our studio. We spend as much time as possible outdoors, grounding ourselves and getting inspired in the vastness of nature. We exercise because it rounds out our mind, body and soul.

Choosing to live this way in our society isn’t always easy or cheap. It's also a privilege. We are able to use recycled materials and compost because we live in a country that provides the infrastructure for this. Places such as India or Africa don’t recycle, don’t compost and don’t make it a point to leave the daily grind of life to go camping and connect with nature.

It can be said that residents of these countries live the most authentically because their lives are simpler; focused on family, natural food and spirit. They eat local because they shop at the local markets, they don’t make it a point “to exercise” because their daily life doesn’t take place at a desk or in a car, they don’t go camping because leisure time is focused on community rather than disappearing from it all. The stark differences go on.

Although we try our best to stay healthy and mindful, our society is caught up in a whirlwind of business and is set up to grab quick packaged food, with a lot of packaging that's not always convenient to recycle. In these times, we must remember that we're not perfect. Consistently shopping at farmers markets or growing our own food, buying less packaged food and riding our bikes more would make for a very healthy, solid life but it’s not always the case. One might argue that this reality, acceptance and ownership of whatever actions we take is exactly what it means to be authentic. We try our to be our best selves but the truth is, consistency can get boring, we enjoy moderation and most importantly, we are honest with ourselves. 

And now we ask you, our fellow followers, what does it mean to you to live authentically?